From the UK Telegraph:
Trapeze artists with one of the world’s most famous circuses have been told to start wearing hard hats to comply with new EU safety rules. Jugglers, tightrope walkers and other acrobats with the Moscow State Circus, which is currently touring Britain, have also been instructed to don safety head wear because of European regulations covering workers employed at heights greater than the average stepladder.
…Goussein Khamdouleav, 48, who performs somersaults – without a safety net – as part of the highest indoor tightrope act in Europe, scoffed at the idea that a safety hat would be much use to him if he fell 45ft to the ring below.
…Mr Archer added: “The hats could be more of a liability than anything else. They could slip over the artists’ eyes or throw the performers off balance. “This is just another loony law from Brussels and we are the only country stupid enough to pay any attention.” [UK Telegraph, “Circus acts told to wear hard hats under new EU law”, July 23, 2003]